Two commercial vessels hit by drones near Bulgarian waters, one sinks - PM Radev to summon Russian ambassador

Two commercial vessels have been struck by drones in the Black Sea near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, with one sinking and several crew members requiring medical attention, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Radev condemned the attacks as unacceptable and announced plans to summon the Russian ambassador, while seeking assistance from NATO and the European Union to investigate the incidents.

According to the prime minister, a distress call was received at 1:30 a.m. from the Chelsea 3, a Maltese-flagged vessel registered in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and owned by a Ukrainian company.

The vessel was located approximately 18 nautical miles east of the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala when three aerial drones struck its deck and side, according to the crew.

All 15 crew members seven Ukrainian and eight Azerbaijani nationals were safely evacuated to the port of Varna. Five are receiving medical assistance.

“The latest attack on a commercial vessel in the immediate vicinity of Bulgaria’s territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable,” Radev wrote.

The prime minister said Bulgaria’s permanent representatives to NATO and the European Union had been informed of the incident.

Sofia is seeking international assistance to investigate the attacks and determine the country of origin of the drones. Bulgaria has also requested support to strengthen surveillance of its airspace and maritime areas and improve its response capabilities.

“We do not have clear and conclusive evidence to attribute responsibility to either side. However, as I have already stated, the logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation. I will therefore summon the Russian Ambassador for a meeting today,” Radev said.

The prime minister also reported a second attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea.

According to information presented at an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council under Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers, another vessel was struck approximately 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, near the country’s northeastern Black Sea coast.

The vessel subsequently sank, and one crew member was rescued.

The party responsible for the attacks has not been officially identified, and the origin of the drones remains unconfirmed.

Bulgarian authorities are seeking an international investigation into the incidents amid concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea.